US to reduce financial contribution to NATO, 'savings' to be used for security

(Patria) - The US government will significantly reduce its contribution to the joint budget of the NATO alliance, according to some US and NATO officials.

This possible US move is being discussed in the context of questioning the US president's commitment to the transatlantic alliance, ahead of next week's summit in London to mark the alliance's 70th anniversary.

Until now, the US has provided 22% of the NATO alliance's budget, covering the costs of headquarters, joint security investments, and some combined military operations.

The direct budget of the NATO alliance is relatively small, amounting to about $2.5 billion, and is treated separately from national defense budgets, for which NATO recommends maintaining contributions at 2% of member states' GDP.

Some US defense officials revealed to CNN that the Trump administration intends to reduce the contribution to 16%, bringing it to the level of Germany's contribution of 14.8%. They also claim that other member states will be expected to cover the budget deficit.

CNN also writes that Trump has long criticized some NATO members, especially Germany, for not contributing the agreed-upon 2% of their GDP to the joint defense budget, a target currently met by only 8 out of 29 members.

NATO members have increased defense spending ( $100 billion since 2014) due to security threats such as Russia's annexation of Crimea, which Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attributes to the US president.

A NATO official told CNN that members have agreed on a new cost-sharing formula: 'The share of costs for most European allies and Canada will increase, while the US share will decrease. This is an important demonstration of member commitment to the Alliance, as well as a fairer burden-sharing'.

From the same source, CNN learns that a new formula has been agreed upon – the money the US side 'saves' will be invested in other US security and military projects in Europe, including programs in non-NATO countries such as Ukraine and Georgia.